Hopefully you will find something of interest here, or find some useful information which will enhance your railway history appreciation!

The Editor’s selection includes some interesting rarities from Sean Dudden (amazing what you sometimes come across in the unlikeliest of places!), a look at the forgotten railways of Pakistan,courtesy Omar Khan, and a look at a Belgian Heritage Railway..

Also included are some excellent Steam Tube videos..look out for Roni’s OBB narrow gauge steam film..and the usual features , which include updates on New Builds (such as 2007 Prince of Wales) and a look back at this month in history..

And the Railway Revivalist asks: Has the time now come to reverse some of the rail closures that resulted as a consequence of Dr Beeching’s infamous report?

Enjoy…

Editor’s Selection:1. Rarities from Sean Dudden

The first 3 photographs were taken by Sean’s late father (who died when Sean was only 7 years old) Identifying the locomotives is fairly straightforward, but, as in the remaining images, mainly from a decease person’s estate,barring a couple of obvious ones, the location is not quite so obvious. Keen eyed individuals may wish to add some information on the locations, which will be gratefully received and acknowledged.

Famed Indian politician, Dr Shashi Tharoor, rightly asserted that the British put up the railway system in India in their own interests and benefited immensely from it. While partly agreeing to Dr Tharoor’s assertions, I am willing to forgive the British for giving us this engineering marvel in the shape of treks spread over thousands of miles, rolling stock, steam engines and the beautiful Victorian railway stations all over the country.

Let’s not forget the continuing benefits of this exquisite logistical feat. It is fascinating to see how the west was won (partly) by the imperialists of the subcontinent in the later half of the 19th century. This cannot be better explained without appreciating the role of the North Western Railways.

In the later part of the 19th century, the British had already laid main broad gauge lines (five feet, six inches) across the subcontinent. At the time, North Western Railways had a vast network across present day Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

One of the main broad gauge lines ended at Mari Indus near Kalabagh on the eastern banks of the River Indus. The British established a large military depot near Mari Indus to provide for the troops stationed across the river in the Wild West in areas such as Bannu, Tank, Kohat and Waziristan. The depot still exists today nearby the Mari Indus station.

The narrow gauge lines at Kalabagh and The narrow gauge line built in 1928 by the British was laid out in the middle of Kalabagh Bridge.

To reach the Wild West, the British laid a narrow gauge (two feet, six inches) line from Mari Indus to Bannu passing through Kalabagh, Isakhel, Lakki Marwat and Bannu with a branch line to Tank. From Tank and Bannu, only military lines were allowed to take the cargo into forts in Waziristan. The gates of these forts would open, engulf the whole train and then close.

These trains were primarily meant to address military logistics, but also provided local passenger services. However, they would move so slowly that people would get down to buy a drink and more passengers could get on the train as well.

Another broad gauge line ended at Kohat, connecting the city to the garrison town of Rawalpindi. One can still see the colonial-era stations at Fatehjang, Basal or Jand on the way. These stations still display Gillet and Johnston Croydon wall clocks, although only a few of them are working today.

I also saw the elegant Neale’s ball token system that is still in existence, which was used to avoid collisions on single track lines. While the clocks and token systems may be out of order, the traditional signal lamps are always working, including the postcard platform benches with ‘NWR’ carved on them.

Neale’s token ball system at Langar Railway station and The Langar station near Jand in Attock

I was also fascinated to see the iron double-decked bridge built in 1905 over River Indus at Khushal Garh with the passage for trains above and vehicles below with massive iron gates to close the bridge in case of any trouble from the west. From Kohat, another narrow gauge line would emerge to connect it with Thal in the west.

There were three narrow gauge lines set up by the British, primarily in western mountainous areas as they allowed better maneuverability for locomotives and wagons. The longest one in the subcontinent was Zhob Valley Railways connecting Bostan near Quetta with Zhob.

The 1905 double-decker Khushal Garh Bridge and The dilapidated Thal station with water tanks and defensive turrets.

The second longest ran from Mari Indus to Bannu line, laid over a 1928 vehicle-cum-railway bridge over the River Indus in Kalabagh. The third was a 100 kilometre narrow gauge line laid to connect Kohat and Hangu with Thal near Parachinar.

The narrow gauge trains finally stopped functioning somewhere in the early nineties after being in service for about a century. There are fascinating accounts written of those fortunate enough to enjoy the train rides by narrow gauge lines in the late eighties. These include accounts from our own railway buff, Salman Rashid.

Today, the railway stations at Kalabagh, Tank, Bannu, Hangu, Ustarzai and Thal are abandoned while the treks are derelict, misaligned and stolen at places. Traveling from Kalabagh to Bannu or from Kohat to Thal, I couldn’t help but notice the rusty, brown coloured railway treks, old fort-like stations and broken bridges. This reminded me of an era when the whistling train would tear across the Wild West, the forgotten backyard of Pakistan till this day.

I was always captivated by the western-most frontier station of North Western Railways in Thal. After the long drive from Kohat to Hangu and finally to Thal, I saw only remainders of the rusted railway treks lying around. It was difficult to imagine how a foreign power could lay these treks a century ago in this hostile territory.

There were around four or five stations from Kohat to Thal including Ustarzai, Raisan, Hangu and Kahi before the railway trek passed through the 1909 Thal fort, currently the Brigade headquarters of the Pakistan Army.

Initially, the railway station may not have been part of the fort but with time it expanded to become part of the station. The old fort-like railway station still has the traditional, maroon water tank of North Western Railways. The railway station has traditional sentry turret at the top with loops to guard against invaders and reinforced iron gates.

As I was standing in this area near Thal, I was imagining the steam engine traversing the country a hundred years ago..and The two wagons left behind that are still in the same place till this day.

The station is now occupied by Christian families from Sialkot, oblivious to the history of the last frontier station of North Western Railways. However, the icing on the cake was finding some long-standing rolling stock.

I noticed that the wagons had ‘Thal Safari’ marked on them, which still stand at the very end of the railway line on a small cliff. The train never went any further from this point, although it appears that the British played with ideas to extend the railway line to Parachinar and on to Kabul.

Parachinar town, some 70 kilometres further west, still has a lot of railway properties and a rest house, which was perhaps acquired by the British in anticipation of a grand North Western Railways traversing Koh-i-Sufaid range into Afghanistan.

While Dr Tharoor may be right that the British developed railways in their own interest, it is unfortunate that we didn’t maintain what they left behind.

While it may not make sense to redevelop the narrow gauge lines, Pakistan Railways should at least think about reviving some of the abandoned stations on the pattern of Golra railway station in Islamabad. To add to this, redesigning small sections of narrow gauge trains could also become potential tourist attractions.

All photos by the author.

Omar is a development professional with a passion for travel and heritage. He also blogs at www.countryroads.pk and can be contacted at omarmukhtar16@gmail.com.

Editor’s Selection:3. “An A-Z of World Heritage Railways”. – B

“B” is for Belgium

Belgium has been a major contributor to the development of railways from the 1830s….

Since becoming an independent country in 1830, Belgium has been a major contributor to the development of the railway as a means of transport. As in the UK, the first railways in Belgium were used to move coal in the flourishing mines of Wallonia. The construction of a network of passenger lines began in 1835, supported by British investors.

The Belgians rapidly became world-leaders in building railways and manufacturing rails and rolling-stock, and exported their expertise and products around the world. Georges Nagelmackers, a banker and industrialist from Liège, founded the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (International Sleeping-Car Company) in 1874. The company’s network of international, long-distance, luxury express trains included the legendary Orient-Express (Paris-Istanbul), and the Trans-Siberian Express (Moscow-Vladivostock), which were hugely successful. Ernest Solvay’s company built the first railway in China between 1900 and 1906, and Baron Empain’s company built the Paris Métropolitain (metro) from 1900 onwards.

Today, visitors who are nostalgic for Belgium’s prestigious railway past can still enjoy journeys on many historic railway lines in Brussels and in Wallonia. In this unspoilt land of plenty, railway connoisseurs will also enjoy meeting the warm-hearted local people and the generous portions of gastronomic food and award-winning beers! Many small breweries continue to thrive in Wallonia’s hilly landscape and lovely villages. French-speaking Belgium reserves a particularly warm welcome for British visitors, and can offer steam-railway fans attractions such as the Three Valleys Railway at Mariembourg, the Steam Railway Museum at Treignes, the Railway and Tramway Discovery Centre at Thuin and the Aisne Valley Tramway at Erezée. Of course, Wallonia boasts many more delightful attractions for visitors. Visitors to Brussels can also enjoy the unique Park Miniature Steam Railway in Forest.

Information below from Wikipedia..

The Chemin de fer à vapeur des Trois Vallées (English: Three Valleys Steam Railway) is an heritage railway in southern Belgium, created in 1973.

It is a non-profit society that operates a railway from the town of Mariembourg, near Couvin to Treignes, near Viroinval. The length of the railway runs about 14 km over standard gauge track. The society’s name comes from the three rivers followed by the line; River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire, and River Viroin. The heritage railway connects with the greater Belgian rail networkin Mariembourg.

The society runs two main facilities. The society has constructed its own platforms near the old locomotive roundhouse and water tower in Mariembourg, and in Treignes, a former border station, a museum with a large workshop has been built. The last 3 kilometers from the line (partially established in France) are no longer usable, as its tunnel has been sold and turned in a mushroom growing plant.

Founded by former rail employees, the society purchased many steam engines from the largely nascent coal industry in its early years. Since then, it has also acquired representative rolling stocks from Belgium and neighbouring countries, France and Luxembourg, and from countries where steam locomotives were still in use, such as Poland and East Germany

100 Trains….the journey so far….

Regular readers will know that Iain is an ATAXIA sufferer, and his goal is to raise awareness of the condition, and raise funds for the ATAXIA.org Charity.

Initially, Iain had intended to travel around the world by train..but these plans have had to be reassessed in the light of his condition, so he now arranges for walks around the world, as his health allows.

Just recently he completed a walk around the Isle of Arran..

And YOU can help keep me walking!

In my race against time, and having just completed a 500 mile walk in Spain, I am already planning my next walking/fundraising adventure.

Obviously, it has to be something even bigger! So:

A wee wander around France it is. From Nice on the Mediterranean, to somewhere (possibly Dunkirk) on the north coast [but because of a knee injury sustained on my previous “walk” (along the Canal du Midi) which is currently preventing me from doing much “walking”, I will also use public transport where possible].

Over the Summer of 2017.

And you can be part of it!

As well as physically helping myself on these walks (my GP did say to walk as far as possible – I doubt he meant *this* far though), I am also raising money for Ataxia UK, the registered ataxia charity here in the UK.

There are 3 different ways (including an absolutely cost-free option) that you can help fund the continuation of my walk through France and, by doing so, become an integral part of this event:

Option 1. Major Supporters.

As with the previous walk in Spain, I envisage only a handful of major supporters.

Major walk supporters’ logos are displayed on the page detailing a particular walk, and these logos are linked directly to the official websites of the supporter.

In addition to this permanent feature, major supporters are “tagged” in various social media posts, and their products/services/support are highlighted as being vital to my walks. For an example, please see how Hi-Tec (a supporter of my Spanish walk – they are my walking boot suppliers) are mentioned/promoted in this recent article that I posted on Facebook (with a photograph of their product/boots of course):

The cost of becoming a major supporter of my Summer 2017 walk is just £250.

The funds raised in this way will be used to pay for flights and insurance. As previously stated, all funds that are unused at the end of the walk will be added to the sum donated to Ataxia UK.

I use PayPal to securely process all financial transactions. They do take a small commission for processing the payment, but I have found that this is the most cost-effective way to collect funds for the trip.

If you would like to support any of my awareness-raising/fundraising walks, by becoming a major supporter, please click the PayPal “Buy Now” button below:

Option 2. Day Supporters.

“Day Supporters” are supporters of each of the individual days of the walk. Every social media post that I make on (or of) that day includes a link to that day’s supporter’s website and/or social media pages. This will be in addition to a daily post in which I will specifically thank that day’s supporter, for making the day possible.

The money that I raise from “Day Supporters” will be used to feed & water myself each day.

So I expect that there will be lots of French foodie pics this Summer 🙂

If you would like to support my walks, by becoming a “Day Supporter”, please click the PayPal “Buy Now” button below. You are then able to support as many days as you wish:

Option 3 (completely free). Online shopping.

There is a cost-free way to support me too (and you could even save yourself a few quid at the same time!). Simply do your online shopping, at some of the biggest names in online shopping, via the links in the “KW Fundraising Shop” at:

You just shop (and save) as normal, via the retailers’ own websites. The retailer gives me a few pennies for sending you their way.

You save. I walk some more. Everybody wins!

Thank you for your very kind and generous support!

Steam Tube Photographic Highlights

Midsomer Norton steam running

I’ve just had a steam railway first! Until yesterday I’d never run over S&D metals, but yesterday Dad and I made a visit to Midsomer Norton to see what they’d been up to. The sun was out and when we arrived the enthusiasm oozed out of every pore. What a wonderful bunch of people and what a great job done! If you are in striking distance of Midsomer Norton and haven’t been I suggest a visit to be just the ticket! The S&D lives! and with your support will grow! Contact Sean Dudden via Facebook or simply Google Midsomer Norton Railway Station and check out their next running day. Buy your tickets, coffees and lunches and support this great effort. There is a shop to get your S&D stuff from and a great S&D museum full of S&D goodies Thank you for a great day!

STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, 18th May 2017.(Dave Wadley)

Strasburg Steam Mixed Freight – Featuring #90.(Big Jim Video Productions)
Every so often, the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, PA will have an incoming freight train that’s too heavy for the line’s diesel to handle – or, in the case of Wednesday, April 5, 2017, the diesel will be in the shops when the freight comes in. So what’s a steam tourist railroad do? If they’re Strasburg, they prep their steam locomotive earlier than normal in the day, add a passenger car, and run a special mixed train. So at 8:30 am, former Great Western 2-10-0 #90 whistled off from Strasburg with two empty freight cars and one coach – and after some switching at Leaman Place (and a cool encounter with a Norfolk Southern local freight), headed back to the yard at Strasburg with four loaded hopper cars, one loaded gondola, and the passenger car. Enjoy the show as the Decapod pulls a 21st century revenue mixed freight train on the Road to Paradise!

First steam weekend in museum ČD Lužná u Rakovníka in season 2017.(Dominik Schön‎)

Steam Tube Blogs (Dave Wilson,Steam Age Daydreams)

RAILWAY TIMETABLES – MY PART IN THEIR DOWNFALL PT3

When going off shed at Farnley Jct. you first phoned the bobby at Farnley & Wortley – getting back on the footplate I felt a sharp pain in my ankle, which I’d twisted in colliding with the young lad on his tricycle. When the dolly came off we trundled, bunker first, down to City station to begin our evening’s work.

Leeds City station was, back then, in two parts, the old station and the new, the old station had through platforms, through roads and a handfull of bay platforms, over on the new side there were parcels docks and platforms all ending in buffer stops. The station pilot’s job involved releasing engines from the buffer stops, shunting the parcels docks, and occasional steam heating duties, amongst other things. On some shunts you were right out on to the viaduct carrying the Leeds – Manchester line, and overlooking, the seedier parts of town. In my enthusiasm I had enough fire on to take us to Manchester – safety valves open and boiler full to the whistle! I had yet to grasp the skills of boiler management.

My duties, apart from the boiler management, were watching the guard / shunter / dollies when they were on my side, and relying the info to my mate. Nothing too demanding but, as the evening wore on the pain in my ankle grew worse and it was so swollen I had to unlace my work boots – things weren’t going quite to plan. By 10 o’clock things were so bad my mate had to ask control to send a spare man to relieve me – and my first firing turn ended in A&E.

The photo is of an engine of the same class I was working on that night and is taken on GN straight at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. No.41241 is currently in the restoration queue and the subject of an appeal for funding, if your felling rich.

If you have enjoyed my blogs – I have written a book about my 60 years involvement with railways, from trainspotter, via steam age footplateman, to railway author and photographer, this is a link to it:

Second Wave of Rail Revival.(Railway Revivalist)

Has the time now come to reverse some of the rail closures that resulted as a consequence of Dr Beeching’s infamous report?

Looking Back

History is an unending book that is continually being added to and growing in size. The verdict arrived at by the reader is determined by what side they stand on the issue. But, if you dig deeper and look beyond the sentiment surrounding the cuts made by Dr. Richard Beeching to Britain’s railway network, most fair-minded people would have to concede that such actions were necessary and a consequence of changing social and economic trends. Despite the passion shown by opponents of Beeching – many branch line stations largely lay largely deserted as people and businesses abandoned rail travel en masse in favour of road transportation. Such a response was wrapped in a ‘comfort blanket of nostalgia’ and sorrow for the passing of a way of life ingrained in a community’s consciousness for generations. Sadly the facts were undeniable. British railways finances were in a dire state and the situation that existed pre-Beeching was unsustainable. It was illogical to maintain lines and services that were in financially deficit and pass the burden of this onto the British taxpayer. Dr. Beeching came to the job without no prior background knowledge in the running of a railway, and the way in which he carried out the process to earmark loss-making lines for closure would in the eyes of his critics in some cases brought his judgment into question. Coldly executed as a mere number crunching exercise (not allowing for extenuating circumstances) – if the numbers didn’t add up, another station name was added to the list. Politicians are all too aware that elections are won and lost on the strength of the nation’s economy and the buying power of the money in their pocket.

The Situation Today

But that was then…and this now… After the passage of half a century, the very aspects that made the Beeching cuts necessary are no longer the case. An ever-growing population and the phenomenal rise in car ownership have in themselves given us just cause to revisit this old argument. Britain’s railways are coming into their own once more and many more of us are are leaving their cars at home – calling time on traffic jams and long and stressful commutes into work and allowing the train to take the strain. But for some us this is sadly merely a pipe-dream as those essential rail links were ripped up long, long ago. But is it? I feel in order to prevent future gridlock on our roads, the time is fast approach for “The Reshaping of Britain’s Railways – Part 2′, and to oversee a Beeching Report in reverse that examines the case for rail reinstatement in badly effected area’s of the country and a major investment programme in new infrastructure to follow suit. Could Brexit act as a welcome catalyst for change, with a percentage of the savings made from no longer having to pay membership contributions to the European Union used to help fund such an initiative? If this were to happen… It could help to play a major part in keeping Britain on the move and creating a rail system fit for the needs of the 21st century?

Midsomer Norton in the heart of the Somer Valley, near the Georgian City of Bath.

Could the sun be dawning on a new glorious new era for closed lines such as the Somerset & Dorset Railway?

Possible Options for the Future

#1.

So how could a ‘ rail renaissance’ be brought into reality? The privatisation of Network Rail would appear an inevitable move and a starting platform to enable this to happen. In order to raise the large sums required would require the need of inward investment from companies or corporations, with the formation of joint government/ private sector partnerships. However, in some areas, investment opportunities from the private sector may not always be possible.

#2.

When the first option is not applicable. This is where volunteer-based community enterprises come into their own. As loss-making bus routes are supported at a local level, a form of state subsidy would help encourage the creation of such ventures and help future-proof rural economies. With many people in the city now searching for their rural idyll and migrating back to the countryside to live, this is not such a far-fetched idea and who knows how things will stand in 10 or 20 years time!

#3.

Another option worth consideration would be to oversee existing heritage railways with network rail connections given government incentives to transform into ‘Community/Heritage Plus’ operations, and those without such a link (where feasible) assisted to expand. While doing so; such a move would value and safeguard the work of preservationists up and down the land, helping to bring to pass long term goals and ambitions previously out-of-reach, truly embodying their ultimate dreams and goals, yet retaining the unique character and history of the lines they so faithfully serve.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is proud that Tornado will continue to be operated on the Network Rail main line by DB Cargo, which has worked successfully with the Trust since the locomotive’s completion in 2008.

The Trust respectfully requests that anyone wanting to see Tornado follows the rules of the railway and only goes where permitted.

(A1 Steam Trust Image)

New & ReBuild News.

General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society

The first working party of 2017 at Sellindge was hosted in April that saw our small team make a great deal of progress on GSN. The work was mainly focused at the two ends of the locomotive with the most noticeable work being the removal of the cab supports at the rear of the loco. The cab area of the locomotive hasn’t fared well over the years and the entire dragbox needs replacing. The team have known about this since day one . We have prepared the CAD work for a new one to be cast so once we strip down the locomotive we can easily get a new one built. The removal of the cab supports also makes the locomotive safer for volunteers on site.

The team also continued removing parts such as the running boards, mounts and the sanding brackets on the left hand side of the locomotive. The team also begun work on removing the boiler tubes. This work involved grinding off the welds on beaded ends of the tubes in the firebox several of the tubes had been previously freed in the smokebox. We were able to free the entire top row of the super flue tubes which we cut once they were about ¾ out so they would not hit the tent in front of the locomotive and not too heavy to lift. We have upcoming working weekends in both June and July to which all our members are invited. The first of these is between 16th-18th June with another the following month on the 22nd and 23rd July. If your interested please get in touch.

Our flawed wheelset has now safely arrived at the South Devon Railways engineering workshop and a preliminary examination shows our wheel pans are in good condition. With the amount of work the SDR has at the moment it will be a while before work begins on our axle.

We still have a long way to go to fully fund the appeal but we’ve made a positive start and are confident in fully funding the work within the next 18-24 months as originally planned. Contributions can be made in several ways: monthly standing order of perhaps £10 a month, making a one off donation or by purchasing shares which are available in blocks for £250 (also available at £25 pcm. for 10 months).

Issue 4 of the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Societys membership magazine ‘The Packet’ went out to all our members and was met with a happy response. GSNLRS Membership costs £10 for the year with members being kept up to date with the latest goings on with the locomotive, receive our members magazine ‘The Packet’ 3 times a year with progress reports on GSN and articles about Merchant Navy’s and the light pacific’s, access to the locomotive when possible and the ability to get involved with the society.

The Clan Project..72010 Hengist

Calling all those interested in seeing progress with 72010 Hengist…

The Annual General Meeting of the ‘Clan Projects’ parent organisation, The Standard Steam Locomotive Company Limited, will be held at ‘Steam’ the Museum of the Great Western Railway, Firefly Avenue, Swindon SN2 2EY, at 14:00 on the 15 th of July 2017, in the Sir Daniel Gooch Suite.

Members and non-members are welcome to attend, though only members with a valid 2017 membership card or life membership card may vote on motions placed to the meeting. So if you want to meet the team behind the construction of this new locomotive, why not come along and talk to us? Better still, become a member, and have a voice at the meeting itself.

The Brighton Belle

Excursion programmes will be launched in early 2017!

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has recently announced that it will be holding a series of presentations on the project to build new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales at venues along the route of the East Coast Main Line from London to Edinburgh and all the way to Aberdeen during 2017. Each presentation will feature key Trust personnel including Mark Allatt (Chairman) and David Elliott (Director of Engineering) and will cover the background to the project, progress to-date, future plans and details of how to get involved. The presentations will run from 11:00hrs to 13:00hrs on each of the days listed below and are open to existing supporters and interested members of the public:

February to April has seen a healthy increase in component sponsorship, with 17 individual components being sponsored, raising a further £7,755.00 before gift aid. This month’s sponsored components included the steam stand casting including machining and valve details, the LH leading coupled wheel tyre, the LH and RH upper and lower water gauge body castings, the crank axle stub axle RH forging, the RH cab side screen hinges and details and various bolts and handrail knobs! We are most grateful to all of our supporters who have responded to the Dedicated Donations campaign!

Components sponsored through the Dedicated Donations Scheme range in price from one of over 1,000 driven bolts & nuts for £25, to the complete exhaust steam injector for £15,000.

If you would like to sponsor a component on No. 2007 Prince Of Wales, or you know of a business owner or company who may be interested in sponsoring an item, please contact us at dedicated.donations@p2steam.com

Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2

A New Entry!

LMS Ex inspection 45036 – short term aim is to have a fully restored chassis and then rebuild it as a saloon in the long term , she is located at Tanat Valley Light Railway (TVLR)

And…

Andrew Barclay 2352…

Andrew Barclay 2352 has been brought by a private individual from the Swindon and Cricklade railway last month and is in need of restoration.A fund raising page had been set up for the boiler build etc….HERE

Weʼre raising £50,000 to Help get Andrew Barclay 2352 steaming for years to come by donation towards getting her boiler finished…The plan is to contract the work out and get them to first shape the back plate and attach it to the firebox followed by then the creation of the inner firebox and the throat plate so that the barell can then be offered up to the firebox and attached together with then the tube plate and tubes made then finally the ashpan and smokebox and door made and fitted before a out of frame boiler test.

B & O Railroad Museum TV

Each month the B&O TV Network, starring actor Michael Gross, spotlights a moment in B&O Railroad history. Take a journey into the past and view one or all of these episodes posted on YouTube.

Mainline Steam Schedule

This listing is offered in good faith, so there is no guarantee offered or implied.Please confirm running with the relevant tour operator.

22/06/1907
Opening of the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway in London, a deep tube railway which now forms part of the London Underground’s Northern line.

27/06/1900
Central Railway(“Tuppenny Tube”)opens from Shepherds Bush in west London to the Bank The Official opening of the Central London Railway, core of the Central Line of the London Underground, means this is the third deep-level electrified “tube” railway in the city

30/06/1906
24 passengers and 4 railwaymen die as the result of the Salisbury rail crash on the London and South Western Railway of England when an express train passes through Salisbury railway station at excessive speed.

30/06/1911
First Great Western Railway 4300 Class 2-6-0 locomotive is turned out of its Swindon Works, England. The class, designed by George Jackson Churchward, will comprise 342 members and see overseas service during World War I

Christian Wolmar…Railway Historian

The subject of battles and overtaken by troops, the world’s longest railway has a difficult past.

Built to solidify Russia’s hold over its eastern territory, it was the cause of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 – 5 and played a key role in the aftermath of the 1917 Revolution. The Western allies, led by the US, briefly considered using the line to invade Russia and troops from several Western countries were sent to Vladivostok, only for the plan to be abandoned by war-weary governments.

Christian Wolmar, railway historian and author of To the Edge of the World, the story of the Trans-Siberian, recounts this little known aspect of the history of the First World War and its aftermath.

Enjoy food and drink purchased from the Knowledge Centre Bar from 18.00 and after the event until the Bar closes at 22.00.

Around the UK’s Heritage Railways A – Z

WATTRAIN & APHTRO & NERHT News

Wattrain is governed by a Council of Management led by David Morgan (UK) as President who is also President of FEDECRAIL, the European Federation of Museum & Tourist Railways, and a former Chairman of the Heritage Railway Association of Britain and Ireland (HRA), Chris Le Marshall (AU) and Bob La Prelle (US) as Vice Presidents and a Board of Directors composed by Ian Leigh (UK), Gabriela Galizia (AR), Stefano Benazzo (IT) and Rajesh Agrewal (IN). Wattrain is also supported by three Honorary Patrons: Major General Courtney Wilson (CEO of the B&O Railroad Museum, USA), Lord Faulkner of Worcester (President of HRA, UK) and the Hon. Tim Fischer (former deputy Prime Minister of Australia).